Io'vakas Outpost

The Sounding Sands: The destruction of Io’vakas by the dragons of Argonnessen left the lands around the city a blasted ruin of fire-fused stone. Over long centuries, the yuan-ti have subtly altered the nature of this brittle plain with permanent psionic effects. The ground in a mile-wide strip around the heart of the ruins echoes and amplifies the movement of any creatures on it. This bestows a –10 penalty on Listen checks to creatures in the area, but grants yuan-ti guards in the scout post (see below) a +20 bonus on Listen checks to hear those creatures approaching.

Scout Post: A force of six yuan-ti halfbloods (MM 264) led by a pureblood slayer (MM4 184) are stationed here at all times. The yuan-ti guard against any approach across the sounding sands and watch for the passage of creatures in flight. In the case of anything but a casual dragon flyover, two halfbloods reveal their presence in the open, hoping to catch the attention of flying intruders and draw them within range of the area’s psionic turret traps.

Psionic Turret Trap: The yuan-ti have dotted the ruins with these automated traps (akin to the spell turret traps of DMG2) designed to harry and thwart those seeking to reconnoiter or approach the ruins of Io’vakas. The yuan-ti concealed the traps in shattered statues that reveal a serpentine visage on close examination. It takes a DC 32 Search check to notice a psionic turret trap and a DC 32 Disable Device check to shut it down.

Each psionic turret is programmed to react to all creatures except yuan-ti and dragons within 120 feet, and each can sense those creatures as with a true seeing effect. Creatures attempting to teleport into the area of a psionic turret have their teleport diverted some three hundred miles into the Vast in a random direction. Flying creatures are targeted with mass ectoplasmic cocoon, while targets on the ground are subject to ultrablast or energy wave.

Like a spell turret trap, these psionic turret traps have AC 7, hardness 8, and 200 hp. They cast one spell each round in the order given below, and they self-repair 4d8+20 points of damage every fifth round.

Living Quarters: Yuan-ti guarding the approach to Io’vakas live rough in the ruins, and each outpost consists of little more than sheltered nesting sites surrounding a feeding chamber. Some two dozen halfbloods and abominations (MM 264) occupy the outpost under the leadership of three pureblood slayers (MM4 184) and three abomination cult leaders (MM4 186).

Feeding Chamber: This foul stone chamber serves as the yuan-ti’s abattoir, meat locker, and mess hall. Additionally, the yuan-ti take no chances on the dragons discovering their presence in Io’vakas as a result of the actions of would-be explorers. Any creatures caught trespassing within the secure perimeter established by the outposts are brought here, interrogated, ritually slain, then eaten so as to leave no trace of their presence.

Vault: The yuan-ti place all treasure and magic taken from captured creatures in the special vault adjoining the feeding chamber. The rough walls of the vault are lined with lead so as to prevent detection of the magic stored here, whether by explorers or dragons making casual flyovers of the area. Yuan-ti patrols shun the use of these magic items for the same reason.

In recent years, the presence of secret yuan-ti agents in Io’lokar (see Sura, DoE 48) has allowed the yuan-ti of Io’vakas to clandestinely traffic in those magic items coveted by the folk of the City of Knowledge. However, a wealth of weapons and relics can still be found here, as determined by the DM.

Mask Chamber: This chamber is the most well-protected part of the outpost, and it is guarded by six yuan-ti abominations (MM 264). However, all the yuan-ti know that if the dragons ever discover the chamber’s existence or the power it grants the serpent folk, Io’vakas would be razed anew and its hidden population destroyed. In the event that intruders gain access to the mask chamber, the yuan-ti of the outpost fight to the death to prevent them from ever leaving.

The power that has helped a yuan-ti enclave survive for generations in Argonnessen is found in one of the nondescript outposts surrounding the ruins of Io’vakas.

The Serpent’s Mask is a psionic location constructed by the yuan-ti, allowing their scouts and warriors to move unseen under the constant watch of the lords of the Vast and the Eyes of Chronepsis.

Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about the Serpent’s Mask by making Knowledge (psionics) checks or bardic knowledge checks at the appropriate DCs.

DC 15: Though the yuan-ti were cast out of Argonnessen long ago, a number of the serpent folk are rumored to have remained behind, using their psionic power to live unseen among the dragons who drove them into exile.

DC 20: High-level magic allows some spellcasters to ward themselves and others against detection by dragons. Whatever psionic power allows the yuan-ti to live in Argonnessen unobserved seems to mimic this effect.

DC 25: Yuan-ti exiles who fled from Argonnessen have spoken of something called the Serpent’s Mask—a device that somehow allows the serpent folk to escape the notice of the dragons that hunt them.

DC 30: The Serpent’s Mask is not a specific relic but a psionic location—a place from which the yuan-ti draw the power to ward themselves against the senses of the dragons. Description: The Serpent’s Mask is located in a wellprotected yuan-ti outpost guarding the approach to the ruins of Io’vakas. A hidden chamber beneath the outpost has walls of adamantine etched with serpentine symbols. In the center of the chamber, a smooth-featured adamantine mask with slitted eyes floats suspended in midair.

Prerequisite: Only living creatures not of the dragon type or the dragonblood subtype can access the power of the Serpent’s Mask.

Location Activation: When a creature enters the chamber, whispered voices speaking Yuan-Ti begin to repeat blessings for “Valor in combat against the foes of the serpent folk.”

When a creature steps within 5 feet of the hanging mask, it begins to glow with a faint green light. The creature must step up to the mask and place his head within or against it for 1 minute in order to partake of its power. The mask automatically moves into an appropriate position based on the height of the subject creature.

The mask does not activate (though the voices are heard as normal) if more than one person enters the chamber at the same time.

Recharge: The Serpent’s Mask can grant its power to ten creatures per day, with no limit to the total number of creatures that can be affected.

Special Ability (Su): Three times per day as an immediate action, a character with the power of the Serpent’s Mask can make himself undetectable to dragons. Dragons cannot see, hear, or smell the warded creature, even with blindsense. They act as though the warded creature is not there. A warded creature could stand before the hungriest of red dragons and not be attacked or even noticed. If a warded character touches or attacks a dragon, even with a spell, the effect ends.

The effect lasts for 1 hour or until dismissed. This special ability is otherwise identical to the hide from dragons spell (Dr 113).

Duration: The power of the Serpent’s Mask lasts for one month.

Aura: Strong abjuration.

Ability Value: 48,000 gp.